Semiconductor light-emitting element and process for production thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a semiconductor light-emitting element comprising an electrode part excellent in ohmic contact and capable of emitting light from the whole surface. An electrode layer placed on the light-extraction side comprises a metal part and plural openings. The metal part is so continuous that any pair of point-positions in the part is continuously connected without breaks, and the metal part in 95% or more of the whole area continues linearly without breaks by the openings in a straight distance of not more than ⅓ of the wavelength of light emitted from an active layer. The average opening diameter is of 10 nm to ⅓ of the wavelength of emitted light. The electrode layer has a thickness of 10 nm to 200 nm, and is in good ohmic contact with a semiconductor layer.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A semiconductor light-emitting element comprising a semiconductor layer comprising an n-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type semiconductor layer, and a metal electrode layer which is provided on said semiconductor layer; wherein
 said metal electrode layer comprises: 
 a metal part so continuous that any pair of point-positions in said metal part is continuously connected without breaks, and 
 plural openings which penetrate through said metal electrode layer and which have an average opening diameter of 10 nm to ⅓ of a wavelength of light emitted from said active layer, said openings being positioned in a whole area of said metal electrode layer, and said openings being positioned at random in said metal electrode layer, 
 under the condition that said metal part in 90% or more of the whole area of said metal electrode layer continues linearly without breaks by said openings in a straight distance of not more than ⅓ of said wavelength of light. 
 
     
     
       2. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein the whole area of said metal electrode layer has a structure in which a distance over a region of said metal part between any two openings does not exceed ⅓ of said wavelength of light and wherein said distance between any two openings extends linearly in a straight line. 
     
     
       3. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal electrode layer is provided on the n-type semiconductor layer. 
     
     
       4. The element according to  claim 1 , further comprises a substrate. 
     
     
       5. The element according to  claim 1 , further comprises another electrode layer. 
     
     
       6. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal electrode layer has a thickness in the range of 10 nm to 200 nm. 
     
     
       7. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal electrode layer is in ohmic contact with said semiconductor layer. 
     
     
       8. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal electrode layer is made of a material having a plasma frequency higher than the frequency of light emitted from said active layer. 
     
     
       9. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal electrode layer is provided on a current-spreading layer. 
     
     
       10. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein a pad-electrode is provided on said metal electrode. 
     
     
       11. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal electrode layer is made of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Al, Zn, Ge, Pt, Rd, Ni, Pd, Zr and alloys thereof. 
     
     
       12. The element according to  claim 1 , wherein said average opening diameter is not larger than ⅕ of the wavelength of light emitted from said active layer.